


Into The Past

by UnifiedNations



Series: Into The Past [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Backstory, Depression, Episode: s01e17 Hat Trick, Father-Daughter Relationship, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Jefferson's backstory, Reunions, Spoilers for Out of the Past, Spoilers for all Jefferson episodes, cute stuff, lots of comfort
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-07
Updated: 2017-07-07
Packaged: 2018-04-13 13:01:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4523097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnifiedNations/pseuds/UnifiedNations
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“She'll spend her whole life wondering why you left her... not knowing is the worst.”</p><p>Shorts of Jefferson's life with Priscilla, Grace and what happens around and after the first curse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1 - Priscilla

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Hat Trick, the graphic novel Out of the Past and pretty much every moment of Jefferson from Once Upon a Time.

“She'll spend her whole life wondering why you left her... not knowing is the worst.”

Jefferson ran those thoughts in his mind over and over as he stood behind the tree by the school bus stop. They were the only thing keeping him from bolting, from running away and hiding in the mansion in the woods. Henry's words were keeping him rooted, encouraging him to see her.

His Grace.

The school bus pulled up and the doors slid open, children beginning to pour out. His eyes darted over the mass of small bodies until a familiar long-haired child caught his attention.

It was as if time had slowed down. For so many years he had been forced to watch from a distance, through a telescope as she lived a happy live with her curse parents. Jefferson knew she was looking for him, the 'Have you seen my papa?' posters pinned all over town told him so. He just didn't know if she'd like what she found.

Time seemed to catch up with him and she was walking away, walking away from him like he felt he had from her. He had to do it now, but how-

“Grace.”

~*~  
Camelot- Years before the first Curse

The ballroom was full of people. Evidently it would be, as a ball was happening, but Jefferson hadn't quite expected there to be so many. It was working to his favour though- the people dancing in the centre parted just so much to let him through, and anyone who would happen to be watching him would lose sight in seconds.

It took far longer than he liked to reach the King's treasure chamber, but he made up for the time by breaking in within minutes. The thief took several moments to look around at the mass of gold and treasure surrounding him before he moved forward- and heard a clink.

“What are you doing in here?” A voice came from behind him and he slowly spun around, a charming smile already on his face. There was a woman standing near the doorway, clearly having just stepped out behind it. She was wearing a stunning dark dress and would have fitted in perfectly with the guests in the ballroom. Her flaming red hair and green eyes caught his attention immediately and he loathed to look away.

“The king asked me to check on his riches.” The lie slipped easily from him and he stood straight attempting to look like a guard of the palace, although his clothes rather gave him away.

“Oh? Well that is a coincidence, seeing that I was asked to do the same.” Green eyes glinted at him and Jefferson couldn't help but snort.

“Dressed like that? You're a terrible liar, my lady.” He smirked, doing a mock-bow to her. “And if you'll excuse me, I have some thieving to do-”

“They went in there!” Came a shout from outside and both the thieves started, looking towards the door. 

“Well, this has been enjoyable,” Jefferson stated, going to remove his hat. “But I'm afraid I must-”

His words were cut off as the red-haired woman grasped his wrist, pulling him towards the large glass window. One of her gloved hands grasped a drawstring around her waist and she pulled it, the large skirt she wore dropping and revealing the running trousers she wore underneath.

A grin grew on Jefferson's face for a split second before he realised what they were about to do. He was given a split second to decide whether to tear away or not before the window caved in around the woman's boot and they were flying- before they landed heavily on the bank of the moat outside.

They groaned simultaneously as they landed, rolling on the ground for a moment before they managed to get up.

“What was that?!” Jefferson hissed, one hand rubbing his bruised ribs on one side.

“An escape route,” The woman panted quietly, grasping her upper arm before wrenching her shoulder back into its socket. 

Jefferson's stared in awe as she shook herself off then grinned at him. For a moment he considered leaving her here to run from the guards but she was just... incredible.

“So, we should probably get out of here before those guards begin firing.” She motioned towards the window where several archers were raising their bows. “Name's Priscilla. Shall we?” She gestured towards the darkened forest.

“No, my lady,” Jefferson grinned, taking off his hat and throwing it onto the ground, watching her astonished face as the portal opened and hearing the shouts of the archers taking aim. “After you.”


	2. Chapter 2

Priscilla was incredible.

Jefferson had realised this soon after meeting her that night in Camelot. She was fiery, stubborn and so, so brave. And beautiful. She had blushed crimson the first time he had told her that, eyes darting to the side then back to meet his. 

“I know,” She had whispered, a smirk on her lips as she closed the short distance between them. The kiss was broken shortly afterwards simply because of the almost identical grins on their face but they kept their foreheads pressed together, eyes locked in contact.

What followed was the beginning of the best few years of Jefferson's life. Where before he had been alone- save William, the good Doctor Frankenstein and that imp Rumplestiltskin, but they were never truly close- he now had someone. He and Priscilla became two of the most famed thieves in the underworld of the realms they travelled, both for their methods and their results. It barely felt like months before he had made a decision to ask her for her hand and her heart.

It didn't turn out quite as he had planned, honestly. They were cornered in the corner of a treasure room, surrounded by and guards pointing spears at them. It wasn't looking so good. Backing up to the wall together, Jefferson placed a hand on Priscilla's waist and turned towards her.

“Marry me?” He whispered, giving a small smile when her gaze rose to meet his. Her green eyes widened and there was silence for a few moments- save the guards shouting at them- before she answered.

“Of course.” She whispered back, grabbing the scarf he wore and pulling him over for a kiss before grasping a heavy candlestick and smashing it against the curtained window. “After you, good sir.”

Jefferson laughed in disbelief- he hadn't even realised the window was there.

“No, my lady,” He took off his hat, flinging it out of the open window and into the rain. “After you.” 

Priscilla waved a cheery goodbye to the startled guards who were still staring gormlessly at them as they gracefully fell through the window together, holding eachother tightly as the portal consumed them both.

 

The wedding was a small affair- neither Jefferson nor Priscilla had any family to speak of, and the only acquaintances they had were from the underworld. True friends were a rare thing to come across in that world. In the end they settled for a simple ceremony, although they both admittedly had a flair for the dramatic neither of them wanted to draw too much attention to themselves out in the open.

Several years passed of carefully planned heists, robberies and general unlawfulness, until their lives changed.

~*~*~

“I keep telling you, he's not trustworthy!” Priscilla cried as she held one of Jefferson's scarves out of his reach as he grabbed for it.

“And I keep telling you that I know! Rumplestiltskin is the Dark One, he's not meant to be trustworthy!” He grunted as his wife jabbed him in the stomach and darted away. “He pays good money for our work, and this is a small job compared to what I used to do.” Jefferson paused as he caught sight of Priscilla's face. She was pale and trembling slightly, hands twisted in the scarf she was holding. “What is it? What's wrong?”

“I-” She started, rubbing the fabric between her fingers. “It's dangerous. And I don't like that Doctor, that one with the grey skin.” She wrinkled her nose, not meeting Jefferson's eyes.

Jefferson stepped forward slowly, one hand resting on his wife's shoulder and the other tipping her chin up. 

“My lady...” He whispered, the pet name bringing a smile to her face. “Tell me. Please.” He watched her close her deep green eyes and breath in before looking up to meet his gaze.

“I'm pregnant,” She whispered, standing deathly still as she stared up at him.

Jefferson froze, hand still cupping her cheek. 

“You- you're-” He whispered, blinking rapidly. The words slowly sank into his mind.

There was silence for several seconds before Priscilla broke into a world of motion.

“I'm giving it up. The work.” She announced, tossing Jefferson's scarf to him as she turned and paced to the other side of the room. “I'm not going to risk our lives anymore, not now. I understand, you know, if you don't want to stay- I know how much your adventures mean to you,” She spoke rapidly as she fidgeted with random objects, picking them up before placing them back down. “You don't have to-”

“I won't do it.” A hand came to rest on Priscilla's waist before the opposite arm wound around her. “I'll tell Rumplestiltskin and his Doctor that I'm done. I won't-” He paused, gently turning his wife around and tilting his head to meet her gaze. “I won't take any more jobs.” Slowly, one of his hands moved to rest on her stomach and a smile grew on the man's face. “For you. And them.”

~*~

He knew, of course. The Dark One always knew.

That damn imp.

Rumplestiltskin took one look at Jefferson as he arrived to his palace and sighed heavily, sitting down on his favoured chair.

“Well, I knew this day would come. It was nice knowing you,” He waved at Jefferson's, as if to shoo him off.

“You knew what day would come?” The thief asked, slowly approaching the other. It was the first time he had been truly wary of Rumplestiltskin- minus their first encounter. He knew what happened to those who crossed this man, and he didn't want to die.

“Well, dear Priscilla's pregnant, isn't she?” Rumplestiltskin nearly sang in the strange, lilting voice of his. “Dear young Jefferson, off to be a father. Swearing off of the thievery, I take it? You'd best be careful.” He glanced over and grinned slyly. 

“I came to turn down your job offer.” Jefferson declared, ignoring the high-pitched titter and quietly sung,

“I know!”

“As you said, I'm swearing off of it. I won't leave my child without a father.” He drew back slightly as The Dark One froze, barely looking at him from the corner of his eye.

“What a noble, noble man...” He purred, standing swiftly. “Giving it all up for family... one of the few things I admire about you.” 

Jefferson froze as Rumplestiltskin quickly walked past him, towards an exit. 

“Go on then, shoo. Although, will you be breaking the news to the good Doctor or shall I? I believe he's grown rather fond of you.” He smirked, unnaturally wide eyes glinting.

“I will leave that to you,” Jefferson replied, uneasiness never fading. “I have somewhere to be.”

As the portal jumper began to leave, Rumplestiltskin called out,

“You should beware of the hare, dear boy. Jackrabbits can be most volatile.” He could hear the grin in the Dark One's voice as he left, the high-pitched laugh echoing in his ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Jackrabbit comment refers to The March Hare, who is a very prominent character in Jefferson's chapter of Out of the Past.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Very short chapter as I've just started on the second part of this series, set after the first curse is broken! I'm hoping to still update them both regularly.

Priscilla nearly tackled Jefferson back into the portal when he arrived home, as if she thought she would never see him again. She enthusiastically brought him into a fierce kiss before dragging him by the lapels to their bedroom.

A while later they were laying together in bed, Jefferson's head resting on Priscilla's still-heaving chest. She dragged her hand through his hair, humming as it tangled between her fingers.

“I like your hair long,” She smiled, tugging on the slightly grown-out strands gently. 

Jefferson grinned up at her from his place near her breasts and trailed his fingers over her stomach gently.

“Because there's more for you to grab on to?” He chuckled as she gently thwacked his head, laughing quietly. 

“Shut up,” There was silence for several minutes, save for their slowing breathing. “I was thinking of names.” She announced, glancing down at him.

“Oh?” Jefferson shifted his head so he could see straight. “That makes two of us.” 

Priscilla grinned, sliding both hands into his hair. “Go on.” Several minutes of turned-down names later Priscilla decided to cut in. 

“How about... Grace?” She pondered, gently spiking up Jefferson's thick hair.

“To make up for the grace you lack?” Jefferson teased, chuckling before giving a yelp as his wife shoved him out of bed and onto the floor. “Ow! Ow, okay. It's a perfect name,” He smiled, crossing his arms on the edge of the bed and looking up at Priscilla. “And you know it's going to be a girl... how?”

Priscilla smiled at him, almost cat-like as she stretched out across the bed. “I just know. You'll see.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally onto their reunion!   
> And a flashback containing a panic attack.  
> (Today has a 2 chapter update!)

“Grace.”

The name slipped past his lips as his legs carried him from behind the tree, and his heart thudded inside his chest as she froze, turned around... and saw him. It felt like hours before she reacted, eyes widening as a smile grew on her face and she began running- towards him, not away.

“Papa!” She cried, reaching her arms towards him as Jefferson's legs gave out beneath him and he dropped to the ground, arms out to receive her as she slammed into him, throwing her arms around his neck as his own circled her small frame. “You found me, I knew you would!” Grace's voice was slightly muffled from where her face was buried in her father's shoulder but he could understand her perfectly. 

Jefferson clung to his daughter as she did to him for several seconds before he went to stand, catching the quiet noise of complaint from his daughter and giving a small breathy laugh as he hoisted her up with him. Her arms remained around his neck as they walked off, and Jefferson closed his eyes for a moment, revelling in the presence of the daughter he had lost so long ago.

“I love you, Grace,” He whispered hoarsely, blinking his eyes rapidly and not even attempting to hide the tears that fell. A small giggle came from near his shoulder, followed by a sniff, and then a reply.

“I love you too papa,” Grace whispered back, arms tightening around his shoulders.

~*~

The last time Jefferson had ventured into Storybrooke had been a disaster.

It was soon after the curse fell upon the Enchanted Forest and he had been ripped from Wonderland and transported to this... this place. A land without magic, just as Rumplestiltskin said there was. It wasn't the only thing that had changed.

There was someone in Jefferson's head. This other voice, this other personality, seemingly fighting his own. It was deafening, maddening, and god it was awful. 

In an attempt to escape the person in his head he'd decided to leave the house, the damn mansion the Queen had gifted to him. It was a mockery of the home he had had with his beloved Priscilla and Grace, a silent ghost of the once alive and vibrant home. The building was near the edge of the town and surrounded by trees, seemingly miles from civilisation.

The house was full of furniture, well-maintained and- it had a room with hat making supplies.

Jefferson wanted to kill Regina. She took his daughter, his life and now she was mocking him as he was shut in an empty house on the edge of town, without his daughter or friends or anyone.

So he decided to go into town.

Admittedly this realm did have a good taste in clothing. His closets were full of well-made clothing, eerily similar to what he used to wear when he was thieving and with good protection against the damp weather.

He finally decided to try to leave the house, to join the other people stolen from the Enchanted Forest. Jefferson walked into town, the other voice in his head telling him how to use the strange metal horseless carriage (a car, the voice said) outside but him not trusting it enough to try. 

Jefferson had no idea how long he was walking for but it seemed like minutes before he reached the opening that lead to the town centre. It wasn't too bad, walking into a populated are after years – years – spent by himself in a huge room surrounded by hats and his own company. At least at first it wasn't. 

There were people. Obviously, of course there was, but there were so many and they were all staring at him and after so long of being on his own in a room in silence the noise and the- the mere presence of the other people stolen from the Forest was overwhelming. He made it around a hundred yards down the main road before his trembling legs began threatening to give out and he just about managed to stumble behind a nearby building before he sank to the floor, lungs feeling as if they were shrinking inside his chest as he began gasping for air and shakily raked his hands through his hair.

It could have been minutes or hours later, he had no idea, before he heard a nearby clang and gasped as he nearly toppled from where he had been unsteadily crouching. There was another slightly quieter bang and an answering gasp, before he heard hurried footsteps rushing towards him.

“Hey, are you okay?” A voice- a young woman, he guessed- reached his ears and Jefferson visibly flinched, fingers tightening in his hair and attempting to force his breathing to slow. He tried to speak but as soon as his mouth opened, a choking sound escaped and he let out a quiet groan as he shook his head.

“Okay, uh, okay... c'mon, come with me,” The woman gently laid her hands on him, one on his shoulder and one on his opposing arm and heaving him to his feet. Somewhere deep in his mind Jefferson marvelled at her strength and her rather amazing ability to pull them both up whilst wearing frankly ridiculous heels, but the rest of him was just frozen at the thought that after so long in silence and solitude that someone alive and breathing was touching him, leading him into a building despite his current inability to stay upright.

“Ruby for goodness sake, I told you to not bring any dates into the diner. You have the late shift tonight!” An elderly woman's voice caught his attention and he froze, the younger woman's arms holding him steady. 

“Granny! He isn't a date, I found him outside the diner by the dumpsters, I think he's freaking out,” He was deposited into a chair, the horrible lung-seizing feeling returning as the touch left him. 

“Oh- oh dear, Ruby, get him a glass of water.” The footsteps hurried away and Jefferson could sense somebody else standing by him. “Come now, deep breaths,” The woman- the elderly one, the younger girl had called her Granny- had pulled over a chair and was sitting by him, catching his hand as he tugged on his hair and bringing over to hers. The touch calmed him slightly and his lungs seemed to relax inside his chest.

Ruby returned a minute or so later, gently taking his other hand and placing a cold bottle of water with a straw in it into his hand. 

“C'mon, drink up. I'd get you some whiskey or something but the bar is locked until nine.” She joked, smiling at him reassuringly. Despite himself Jefferson let out a huffed laugh, the quiet of the back room of the building calming his nerves and the two calm, quiet people were so much more bearable than the noises of the street outside.

It felt like years before Jefferson felt like he could speak and he swallowed several times, clearing his throat before making an attempt.

“Th-thank-you,” He rasped, going to take a sip of water before realising he had already finished the bottle. “I, uh, didn't expect that to happen.” Whatever 'that' was. A hand took the empty bottle from him and rubbed his arm reassuringly.

“It's not every day I find an attractive guy out by the dumpsters and get to bring him inside.” Ruby smirked, ignoring the sigh and head-shake directed her way from Granny. “I haven't seen you around before. You new around here?” 

Jefferson shook his head.

“No, I... I don't get out much. My house is on the edge of town.” He shifted slightly, suddenly uncomfortable. The other personality in his head was lurking in the background, offering snippets of information. 

“Oh, that huge mansion? I always thought that was a hotel.” Granny commented, hand still clasped in Jefferson's. There was a shout from the front of the diner and Jefferson tensed before releasing the other's hand.

“I'm sorry, you're working,” He managed to get out, going to stand unsteadily. “I'll go now, th-thank-you so much.” After taking a few steps towards the door he nearly seized up again.

“Nuh-uh buddy. We're going to do whatever you came into town to do and then I'm taking you home.” Ruby linked their arms before looking over at Granny who shook her head.

“For once, once, I am letting you go early. You're making up for this later though.” She pointed a pen at her granddaughter before waving her hand at them. “Drive carefully.”

Jefferson was unreasonably glad that Ruby didn't immediately drop his arm as they got outside and in fact kept their arms linked until they reached her unsurprisingly red car. Jefferson hesitated before following her example and climbing in.

“So, what're you here for?” She asked, starting up the car and not noticing the way the man jumped.

“Uh, food.” Came the short answer. “Forgot to do a grocery run.” The noise was back and it was buzzing inside his skull.

“Cool. We'll stop by the store then I'll drop you home. Okay?” Ruby smiled at him as she began reversing. Nodding, Jefferson tried to relax back into the seat as the car moved.

The grocery was thankfully empty and quiet, save for a few people quietly milling about and the slightly tinny music coming from the speakers above. Jefferson had no idea what food to buy in this new world and mainly imitated what he saw in other people's baskets, occasionally following Ruby's recommendations when they passed things that she liked. It was calm and peaceful and reminded him of when he and Grace used to go to the market.

Grace.

He had no idea who she would be in this world. It had been two years since he had seen her, since he'd had to leave her with their neighbours and gotten himself trapped in Wonderland. Jefferson had missed two years of his daughter's life. She must have hated him.

“... Honestly I don't know the difference between these two but Granny always... Hey, are you okay?” Ruby waved a hand in front of his face and Jefferson blinked back into awareness, not having noticed that he had spaced out.

“Fine. I'm fine, sorry.” He murmured, adjusting his grip on the grocery cart. 

Ruby nodded slowly, looking down at the cart. 

“I guess that's everything. Let's ring it up and I'll get you home.” She smiled, gently pushing the cart after he failed to move.

It was two weeks before Jefferson both ran out of food and gathered the courage to go back into town. He finally caved in to the voice in his head and had a few minutes of practice driving the car, before going straight to the centre of town and completing his grocery shopping in record time. He stopped by the diner to greet Ruby on the way home.

She didn't know him.

Jefferson had his groceries delivered after that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, um... I'm back?
> 
> I have no excuse. I sort of lost touch with OUAT for a bit but I was studying Jefferson's leather coat and the love came back and smacked me in the face. Also there isn't any Jefferson/Ruby in here, or any other non-canon ship (at least none that I'm currently planning on.)  
> This will be a 2 chapter update!


	5. Chapter 5

Jefferson carried Grace for a few yards before she began fidgeting and he gently set her down, smiling when his daughter immediately latched onto his arm instead. 

“Papa, what are we going to do now?” She asked, angling her head up from where it rested against Jefferson's arm as they walked. 

Jefferson smiled down at her, eyes still glassy as he relished in her presence.

“Whatever you want, sweetie.” He cleared his throat, his spare hand fiddling with a button on his coat. “Grace,” It felt so good to say her name again, “Your- the people who have been looking after you...” He didn't want to finish the question. “Do you want to- to live with them?” Please don't let her say yes.

Grace looked up at him with a confused expression before her eyebrows furrowed and she lightly smacked his wrist.

“Papa! Don't be so silly.”

Jefferson let out a relieved breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding and gave her a shaky but happy smile.

“They were very nice but you're my papa. I love you and I wanna stay with you!” Grace gave him a big grin and Jefferson nearly started crying because this, this was what he had been waiting for for so long. His little girl was back and she didn't hate him, she didn't want to run away.

“I love you too baby.” He grinned at her and tugged her close in a half-hug. “Right... we should go see your- carers.” He didn't want to say 'curse parents', there was no way to tell if anyone actually knew about the curse and he didn't want to worry Grace. 

It took a few minutes to reach their house, slowed down maybe by Jefferson instinctively slowing his steps to match Grace's smaller ones and further impeded by her huddling as close as possible. When they did reach the house Jefferson froze up, suddenly realising that even after years of waiting, years of dreaming, he had no idea what to say to these people. He was only pulled out of his position when Grace tugged on his arm, pulling him up to the door and standing on her tip-toes to use the knocker, then tucking herself back under her father's arm. 

A few seconds later a shape appeared behind the glass of the door and Jefferson fought the urge to bolt, held there only by the strength his daughter gave him.

“Grace honey, is that y-” The door opened and a woman- the woman he had seen through his telescope for years- stood and stared at him, her mouth agape.

“My papa came to find me!” Grace said happily, wrapping her arms around Jefferson's waist. 

Jefferson cleared his throat, feeling he should say something to the woman looking at him like he was an alien.

“I- I'm sorry,” He blurted, fighting to keep his breathing under control. “I tried, I tried to get home, but-”

He was cut off as the woman- Katrina, his memory supplied, stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him tightly before she stepped back and gave him a sharp whack over the head. He yelped in surprise, anxiety momentarily forgotten.

“We thought you were dead! Almost three years, young man, no word!” Katrina glared at him, although the effect was a little weakened by the tears in her eyes. She sighed, stepping to the side and gesturing for them both to go in. “Tom! Guess who finally returned from the void?” She grinned at Jefferson, reaching out and squeezing his upper arm as if to make sure he was actually there.

“Jefferson! Good god man, where have you been?” Tom called before striding forward and bringing him into a hard hug, patting him on the back a few times before releasing him. “Your little girl's been going spare.” 

Jefferson had no idea what to say and he stood in the hallway, hardly breathing for a few seconds before he mentally got his feet under him.

“I... I can't talk about it, not right now.” He started, running his free hand over his hair. “I mean, I will, just not-”

“Jefferson. It's fine.” Katrina smiled at him, exchanging a glance with her husband. “Now. I'm guessing you want to take Grace home?”

Jefferson opened his mouth to reply but Grace beat him to it.

“Uhuh! We're going to go back home and we're going to have teaparties and-” She stopped suddenly, turning back to Jefferson with such a serious expression he was momentarily worried. “We are going to have teaparties, right papa?” 

A smile sprang onto his face and he nodded, running a hand over Grace's long hair. 

“Yeah, we are.” Suddenly remembering their company, his stare turned to Katrina and Tom. “I... I can't possibly repay you for looking after her for so long. I know I have no right to just turn up and spirit her away, but-”

“Jefferson, honey.” Katrina smiled at him although she was definitely holding back the temptation to call him an idiot. “She's your little girl. Although... we'd like to visit some time, if that's okay?”

He nodded rapidly, trying not to start crying yet again. “I need to talk to you, some other time, but yes. Any time, yes.”

Grace ran upstairs for a few minutes, returning every so often to check that her father was still there, while she packed for the quick move. After getting their permission, she was instructed to leave anything that she didn't need in the room so she would have a place there for whenever she needed it.

Jefferson didn't want to fully explain just yet, but he knew that although he had his daughter back everything wasn't the same. Thirty years isolated in a hotel and two years imprisoned in a room had left their mark and he knew he wasn't perfectly right anymore. There had been days, so many, many days, where he couldn't get out of bed or couldn't bring himself to make food or even bring himself to care about himself anymore. The only thing that kept him going was the hope that he would be with Grace again.

Grace's curse parents obviously cared about her, they'd continued to look after her even after the curse broke and Jefferson was too scared to face the world yet. If he had a bad day or few, maybe...

He would wait to ask. He'd spent 32 years waiting.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jefferson and Grace get home and Henry gets to visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise, I'm not dead! Also it's been a year and a day since I updated so.... yeah.

Jefferson had forgone the car in favour of walking into town that day, needing to give himself time to settle with himself what he was about to do. After Grace had packed everything she needed into a backpack, he'd slung it over his shoulder and taken her hand. They bade goodbye to the people who had looked after his little girl for so long and set off down the main road, towards the road out of town.

He had no idea what to say. After so long waiting, he didn't know what to say to his daughter, but it was okay.

Grace's voice filled the silence as she told him about everything. What was happening at school, what had happened back in the forest when he had vanished, about her friend Henry who's mom was really cool, his real mom not his fake mom, and-

Jefferson lost himself in her chatter for almost the whole trip, replying with encouraging, joyful smiles and replies when she breaked from talking. When the house came into view she stopped walking completely, squeezing his hand and forcing him to stop.

“Papa... is this our house?” She whispered, staring up at the huge building. He smiled, nodding.

“Yeah, sweetie. It's ours. Wanna come see the inside?” He suggested, eyes drifting to the window where he could still see the telescope pointed towards town. He'd have to move those soon.

“Can I?!” Came the reply, and he began leading them towards the front door, excited girl in tow. “Do I get my own room?”

Jefferson almost laughed, holding back the possibly slightly manic noise. Since the day he'd first realised what was happening, that the entire town bar him was on a time loop, he'd been preparing Grace's room. The first few days he'd done little else, convinced that somehow he could break the curse himself, he could bring his little girl back to him. After the first few days he slowed down a little, and there was a period of several days, months, then years, that he couldn't bring himself to even look at it. Then the Saviour came.

He'd started again, dusting off the room and beginning to add more to it even when he'd convinced himself that Grace would be better off without him.

He vehemently ignored those thoughts as they entered the grand building, hearing the small gasps from his daughter as they began to climb the stairs. Her room was right next to his own, larger than the whole of the hut they used to live in and filled with colour. Toys covered the shelves on one side, the other held storybooks of every genre he could get ahold of.

On one of his particularly manic nights, he had quite literally run into the town under cover of darkness and broken into the library below the frozen clock. It took him under an hour to gather as many children's books as he could carry and leave, and to his knowledge no-one had seen him. They wouldn't remember if they had anyway.

Pausing outside Grace's room, Jefferson took a breath to steady himself before he opened the door, revealing the room he had on and off worked on for thirty years in preparation for this day. 

Grace slowly stepped inside, eyes roaming over the room as she took everything in.

“This is all mine?” She asked quietly, spinning in a circle to get eyes on everything. Her father nodded, hovering by the door and waiting anxiously for her reaction. There was a few seconds of silence before Grace turned to face him, a wide smile growing on her face. “Papa, I love it!” She squealed, turning and giving him a tight hug. “It's so big! And-” She stopped talking as she saw her rabbit, the one Jefferson had made for her after that day at the market. Jefferson had taken it with him the day he'd first tried to find her, before his car crashed and the Prince tried to loop him in to help find his family.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

“Grace!”

The girl in question turned around, smiling as Henry bounded up to her. The boy had brightened up considerably since his birth mom had come to town and he was constantly talking about her.

“Hey Henry! Where're you going?” She asked, their steps almost perfectly matching as they walked along the main road.

“Dunno. My mom's doing her police thing and I don't know what Regina's doing.” He shrugged, obviously trying to pretend that it didn't bother him.

Grace watched him for a second before she had an idea. “I know! You can come to my house if you want? My papa said that I can have friends over if I wanted.”

“Yeah, that sounds cool! I should tell someone where I'm going first though. Wait here!” Henry told her as he turned around and ran to Granny's diner. A few minutes later he came out, having told Red and Granny to tell his moms where he'd gone if they came around and he and Grace began walking to the edge of town.

Occasionally Jefferson would pick his daughter up from school but most of the time he met her on the outskirts of town or picked her up from her curse parent's house. He didn't like her to walk so far by herself but told her that if she had someone with her it was safe.

“How's your dad doing?” Henry asked as they left the town centre and began walking through the woods by the side of the road. Henry had only properly spoken to Jefferson once, when he had tried to push him to talk to Grace, but he'd seen him around the school at pick-up time and saw he and Grace grocery shopping a few times. The man's demeanor had completely changed since they'd been reunited and he'd been seen around town a lot more, not closing himself from the world as much.

“He's okay. Sometimes he gets really sad and I have to stay with Katrina and Tom but then I go back home and he's okay again.” Grace sounded a little sad as she admitted this but it was said with her usual air of confidence that everything would be okay. “He hasn't told me what happened when he disappeared yet. But I know papa, he'll tell me when he can.” She smiled at Henry, then pointed at a slightly worn path through the forest. “This is a shortcut. Race you!” She took off, laughing as Henry started running after her.

“You're really- really fast,” Henry gasped as they reached the house, both of them laughing as they finally slowed down.

“Uhuh, me and- me and papa used to play hide and seek, a lot,” Grace replied, similarly out of breath. She led him to the front door and let herself in, calling out, “Papa! I'm home!”

 

~*~

 

“Yeah, I'm just going to pick up Henry. Maybe take him for some cocoa. Is he still at school?” Emma opened the door to her car and got in, wedging her phone between her shoulder and ear as she put some files on the passenger seat and started the car.

“No, he left at let-out time. I think I saw him talking to Grace.” Her mother- mother, that was still really weird to say- told her calmly. “Maybe he went to Granny's? That's where he usually goes when you and Regina are busy.”

“Thanks. I'll see you at home then.”

“Love you! Bye.”

Emma hung up before she could return the words, still barely comfortable saying them to her own son. The girl's name, Grace, sounded familiar but she couldn't place it. It was probably just someone Henry had told her about before.

It only took a few minutes to drive to Granny's and she headed straight for the counter, fingers tapping on the wood as she waited for the elderly lady or Red to be free.

“Emma! Henry was here, he had a message.” Ruby called as she poked her head out from the back. “He said to tell you he went to Grace's house, it's on the edge of town in the woods? The one that-”

“Looks like a hotel?” Emma replied sharply, the memory of who lived there and who the name 'Grace' belonged to. “Oh god.”

“What?” Ruby replied, watching shocked realisation dawn on Emma’s face.

“That’s the Mad Hatter’s house.” She near-shouted before pushing away from the counter.

The Mad Hatter. Jefferson, the psycho, had probably stolen his daughter back and used her to bring Henry there, crap she had to get there now. Tearing out of the diner and practically jumping into her car, she slammed her foot down on the accelerator and was out of the town centre in less than a minute, probably breaking the speed limit in order to get there as fast as she possibly could.

She'd forgotten about the man in the mansion on the edge of town. In all the craziness that had happened since she'd met him, the curse breaking and her and Mary Margaret being sucked into The Enchanted Forest, he'd become a worry in the back of her mind. She hadn't seen him at all since and had completely forgotten about his fixation on the little girl on the other end of his telescope.

Pulling up in front of the building she got out of her car and ran up the steps- then she heard a scream from inside and the noise of something, possible a table, being shunted aside. Emma pulled her gun and opened the front door, holding the firearm by her side as she moved to where the sound of footsteps was coming from.

“Jeff-Jefferson, no!” Henry's voice came from the sitting room, followed by- was that a laugh?

Rounding the corner that lead to the front room, Emma hid the hand that was holding the gun behind her back as she took in the scene before her.

Jefferson was standing with his back to her, her son slung over one of his shoulders and Grace under one arm.

“Are you sure I should put you down?” He asked, laughter evident on his voice. The children chorused, “Yes!” Before Henry looked up and caught sight of her.

“Hi mom!” He called, grinning and letting out a yelp as Jefferson spun around to face her.

“Miss Swan,” He greeted, clearly slightly out of breath. He obviously understood her perplexed and slightly angry face and immediately set her son on the ground, putting Grace down at the same time. “I wasn't expecting you.”

“Well, I think we both remember the last time you were expecting me.” Emma replied, maybe a little too coldly for talking in front of the kids. She saw Jefferson's daughter- Grace- grasp his sleeve and look up at him.

“What's she talking about, papa?” The girl whispered, and Emma's steely resolve melted a little. The girl was obviously here of her own free will, and the way Jefferson looked at her... it was the way Emma had always wished to be looked at.

Jefferson visibly swallowed and crouched in front of his daughter, thinking of what to say.

“Grace... you know how papa gets during one of his bad days?” He asked, hands resting on his daughter's arms reassuringly. She nodded, face very serious. “When I first met Henry's mom, I was having a bad day and I think I left a, uh. A not very good impression with her. Speaking of.” Jefferson straightened up and faced Emma properly. “Miss Swan, I would like to apologise for my actions back then. I'm sure you remember that I was not in my right mind and I am very sorry for what I did to you both.”

Emma examined him, recalling the manic, wide-eyed man she had met the year before and mentally comparing him to the man who stood before her.

“Your... actions, were totally not okay. But I know your character and you know, that the story you told me was true. And Henry backed you up.” Still, having a little girl stay with an obviously at least sometimes unhinged man probably wasn't perfectly safe. “Jefferson, can I talk to you privately?”

He nodded, smiling at Grace's inquisitive look and instructing her to take Henry up to her room. She brightened and grabbed his hand, leading him up the stairs and already beginning to tell him about her new room.

Jefferson sighed heavily and sat down on the sofa, gesturing for her to sit opposite. She did, perhaps a little apprehensively giving what happened last time. Emma watched him run his hands over his hair before he sat back.

“About the whole kidnap thing... I really am sorry about that.” He started, as if unsure what to say.

“Yeah, I'd hope you were.” She replied, looking around them as silence fell. “So, you got her back.”

Jefferson's face lit up and he nodded, smiling. “I thought... I thought she wouldn't. I thought she'd hate me for leaving her for so long. But she didn't.” Copying Emma and looking around, he took in the room around them. The formerly bare walls had drawings scattered over them, the shelves had books and toys on. The table that had been pushed aside during their playing had a tea set on, obviously a child's one. “After you and Snow White disappeared, I went to get her but my car was upended and then your father spoke to me and I thought she would be better off without me. Then...”

Emma looked back at the man opposite her as his voice trailed off.

“Then?”

“Then Henry found me. He told me to find her, he told me... He told me he knew what it was like. To be left.” Jefferson's voice had gotten quieter as he talked. He looked up at her. “I found her later that day and she came back. Right away, like I hadn't left at all.”

He was obviously so overjoyed that Emma almost didn't want to say anything, but she hadn't gotten anywhere in life by being gentle and she had to make sure that Grace was safe.

“Jefferson, when you were talking earlier about bad days?” He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “What did you mean, what happens?”

A slightly darker look took over Jefferson's face and he sat back, Emma mirroring his position.

“Do you know what two years of complete isolation does to you, Miss Swan?” He asked quietly, the fingers of one hand fidgeting with the scarf he wore. “I spent all of that time locked in a room, in a realm where time has a relatively loose hold on reality. It felt like eternity. When I finally got out and came here I thought I was free but then the voice started. My 'memories', my personality from this realm and from the curse. I wasn't exactly stable at that point.

“I cycled between being in states of not being able to leave my bed to times when I wasn't able to be in my house for days at a time. It's better now that the voice had stopped and I know I'm not completely insane anymore, but there's still days where I just... can't.” He shrugged, although the topic as obviously very heavy on him. “I told Grace the basics, that sometimes I can get really sad or really... something. When it starts to happen, I tell her and she packs a bag and stays with Katrina and Tom- they were our neighbours in the Enchanted Forest and her curse parents for the last twenty nine years. She stays there until I'm better and go pick her up.”

Silence fell for a few moments while Emma processed what she had been told and Jefferson sat quietly, listening to the noises of their children playing upstairs.

“I'm not gonna lie. When I first met you I thought you were a dangerously insane man.” Emma started honestly. The man opposite her snorted and smiled, although it was pained. “With what I know now... I don't doubt you love your daughter more than anything. And although the whole kidnap thing wasn't really on, I can kinda see why you did it. So I forgive you.”

Jefferson gave her a genuine smile and some tension seemed to leave his shoulders.

“Thank-you. That means a lot to me.” There was silence for a moment and it was only slightly tense.

“I like what you’ve done with the place.” Emma blurted out, prompting a startled laugh from Jefferson. She joined in a few seconds later, although it verged slightly on hysterical as she remembered that just recently she’d been held captive by this man in the same house.

“Yeah… so do I. It felt like a prison for twenty nine years, but now it almost feels like home.” Jefferson’s voice turned nostalgic as his gaze settled on some of the drawings on the wall. Several of them centred around three people- a man with a top hat, a woman and a small figure that Emma assumed was Grace. Was the woman his wife? Was she in Storybrooke too?

She decided to ask another time.

“Well, it was nice to meet you… as you, properly I mean. But I’ve gotta get Henry home before Regina kills me.” She stood, watching him as he did the same, a dark look taking over his features.

“Good idea. I know better than most what happens when you cross her.” The look lifted and he gestured to the front door, calling for the children from the bottom of the stairs. There was a thudding noise as Grace and Henry ran down the stairs, Grace forgoing the bottom few steps to instead jump into Jefferson’s arms. He laughed, hugging her close before putting her down. 

Emma couldn’t help but notice the way Henry watched them almost wistfully before turning and tugging her sleeve.

“C’mon kiddo, let’s go. Say thank-you to Jefferson for having you over.” Henry rolled his eyes at her- was the sass from her genes? But thanked him and together they made their way to the car.

“Can Grace come over to yours some time? With me. I don’t think Regina would like her coming over to the house.” He asked as he buckled his seatbelt in, looking up at her with his big round eyes.

“Sure.” She pulled out of the drive and started towards the town. “Henry? Just keep an eye on her at school, okay? Make sure she’s alright.” No matter how sane Jefferson seemed now, the man with the scarred neck and wild eyes still stayed in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry it took so long to update, I just finished my final year of uni and it's been /manic/ and I got distracted by one of my other series which I had more inspiration for. But I'm back with this and hopefully will do more of it!

**Author's Note:**

> I will be putting the rest of the reunion up soon!
> 
> I've only read the graphic novel of Out of the Past once and fairly quickly so I couldn't write word-for-word but the story line's close! 
> 
> I'm planning on updating this whenever I can but I'm pretty hyped about it so it should be often, it's going to be shorts of Jefferson's life with Priscilla, Grace and what happens around and after the first curse.
> 
> I also edited Priscilla's outfit, not that you can really tell, but I think she'd be well prepared for running so a collapsing skirt wouldn't be out of the question.


End file.
